Crime | My Sardinian Life

Speaking with a local Sardinian woman the other day, who happens to follow my blog, she asked me why I wrote an article on Rossella Urru and why it’s important to me.

Free Rossella. Rossella Urru is 29 years old and is a volunteer. She was abducted in Algeria on 22 OCtober 2011.

At the time I couldn’t find the right words to convey my thoughts on this urgent matter. It has taken me over twenty-four hours to get my thoughts straight, and here is my answer:

First and foremost, as a woman, I found it important to spread the message of Rossella Urru’s disappearance with the world. The Italian media were silent for far too long.
We women need to support each other, we need to hold each other up in times of struggle and we need educate the world when politicians are silent.
Rossella Urru may not be a child, but she is someones child.
It took 117 days for the Italian media to report on Rossella’s abduction. The broadcast came from the popular Sanremo (an Italian song festival). The stunning Geppi Cucciari, who is also from Sardinia, reported on Rossella’s abduction.
When I was a 16-year-old girl, in highschool, all innocence was stolen from me and my city. When young schoolgirls were abducted, tortured and later murdered. I imagine many of you do not know the names Kristen French or Leslie Mahaffy. Kristen French went to the Catholic school and I attended the public school. Both schools are side by side. Kristen French was abducted in a church parking lot on her way home from school. The same church parking lot I passed, almost daily to visit a school friend. These abductions, tortures and murders in my city, changed me. It gave me a voice for the women who cannot speak, for the women who endure nights of silence and beatings, I am your voice. Hear me roar!
There seems to be an alarming rate of missing women worldwide. Does anyone else see this? Realize this?
As of today, Rossella Urru has been at the hands of terrorists for 144 Days, 9 hours and 27 minutes.